Ever After
by ambrosesaysnope
Summary: Follow Drew and Alina on their little adventures, starting with their first date.
1. First Date

Disclaimer: I only own Alina.

A/N: I'm in a big Drew Gulak mood right now. Enjoy! Review.

* * *

Alina nervously fidgeted with the skirt of her dress. Every now and again she was checking the time on her phone, growing more anxious every time she checked. Tonight was her first date in two years and she was standing in the middle of her hotel room, cursing herself for letting Carmella set her up on this date. With Drew Gulak of all people.

She stood in front of the dresser, checking her appearance for any imperfections. Everything was fine, her OCD left her with her makeup perfect. She smiled when she thought of the happy dance she did when her winged eyeliner came out perfect...after the tenth time redoing it. The smile faded from her lips when she looked into the mirror again, the worry evident on her face.

"I wish I could call him and cancel." Alina muttered to herself, while playing around with her hair. "I can't do this. Why did I agree?"

A knock on her door brought her out of her chat with herself. One more look and she thought she looked fine. She ran her hands over the skirt of her dress, wiping out those pesky invisible wrinkles. She picked up her clutch and went to the door. Her hand over the knob, nervously shaking. She took a deep breath, reminding herself it was only a date.

 _'He's not going to eat you, Alina. Get your shit together!'_

With that thought, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. Her lips turned up into a smile upon seeing Drew. His hair was slicked back, his beard trimmed some. He was dressed in a navy blue button down and a pair of black dress pants. He did look handsome.

"Hey!" He greeted, a smile warming up his face. "Are you ready?"

Alina nodded as she stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her. She walked next to him, silent and chiding herself internally for acting like a teenager on her first date. They reached the elevator, Drew quickly pushing the button.

Her silence was making him nervous. Drew couldn't understand why she was being so quiet. They knew each other from wrestling, they had talked numerous times. Sure, they weren't the best of friends, but they were friendly enough to have pleasant conversations with plenty of laughter. He was looking forward to spending the whole evening like that.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. His hand hovered over her lower back, gently ushering her into the elevator. The doors closed. He pressed the 'L' button for the lobby. Now they stood side by side, still quiet. The only sound was the soft melody of the elevator music playing in the background. He glanced at her, flashing a brief smile.

The elevator stopped and the doors dinged as they opened. Again Drew's hand hovered over her lower back, gently ushering her out of the elevator. They walked silently, side by side, her heels clip clapping against the marble floor. Her arms were lowered, her hands tightly clutching her clutch.

 _'Say something you, twit!'_ Alina screamed at herself.

"I'm sorry, Drew." She apologized as they entered the garage and walked to his rent-a-car. "I'm a nervous wreck."

 _'Idiot! Don't tell him that!'_

Drew chuckled. "You have no reason to be nervous, Lina." He shrugged. "It's me and you spending some together outside of an arena...alone."

Now it was Alina's turn to chuckle. "No, that doesn't creepy at all."

When they got to the car, Drew opened the passenger door for her. He looked in at her, another smile playing on his lips. "I got you to laugh and that's all that matters to me."

He closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. He shut the door and put his belt on. When he got the car started he looked behind him, being sure no one was walking by and started reversing out of his spot.

"Where am I meeting my impending doom?"

Drew laughed as he finished backing out and put the car into drive. He took a quick glance at her, noticing she was starting to relax.

"There's an Italian restaurant I found that's about a half hour from here."

"I get a last meal?"

"My dates usually do." He shrugged.

Alina laughed. Her grip on her clutch loosened as she felt the tension ease out of her body. It was only Drew Gulak. He wasn't a _complete_ stranger. While, she never thought to go on a date with him, he was still the same person she knew at the arenas.

"Such a gentleman." She teased.

"Momma raised a good boy." He laughed.

"How good of a boy?" Alina asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

They hit a red light giving Drew the chance to take a look at her. She had caught him off guard with that question and smirk. She had gone from shy to tempting in a matter of three minutes.

"That's going to be a surprise if we have multiple dates."

Now it was her turn to be surprised. "There are going to be future dates?"

"I hope so." He admitted. "I like you a lot."

The light changed and they were moving along now, his last comment hanging in the air between them. Alina chewed on her lower lip, trying to ignore how fast her heart was beating. The date had hardly started and he admitted to wanting future dates. She couldn't stop the smile that was tugging on her lips. Maybe Carmella was right to set them up after all.

"Wait until you get the dinner bill."

"I like a girl that can eat."

Her laughter was music to his ears. He had always had a bit of crush on her, but was afraid to act out on it. After a little convincing from Carmella, he finally gave the green light for the set up. If this was his only chance to start getting closer to her, then this was the way to go.

* * *

As their dinner date progressed, Drew found himself sliding closer and closer to Alina in the circular booth. His arm was draped on the back of the booth behind her. He couldn't help but smile when she slid a little closer to him, her thigh brushing against his.

"I was such a temperamental kid when I played video games." Alina laughed. "I think I was playing Mario Kart and I kept losing. I got so frustrated I bit the start button on the remote control. My Super Nintendo is still running and I still have the same remote control, with my teeth marks on the button."

"I was intense when I played video games, but not that intense."

"Go big or go home." She shrugged. "What were some of your favorite games as a kid?"

"You know, the usuals; _Mario Kart_ , _Super Mario Brothers_ , _Street Fighter_ , _Mortal Kombat_."

"Oh, so the games every kid played and loved?" Alina teased.

"There are a couple of games that me and my brother played. I don't know why we had them, but we did. One was _Battletoad_ and the other was _Kendo Rage._ "

"I never heard of those." Alina admitted. "We had all those games you just mentioned. I also remember we had _Aladdin_ , too."

"Yeah, we had those. Me and my brother would sit in the basement for hours playing."

"At least you played together." Alina laughed. "Me and my sisters would fight over the control to play. We had the one remote. My parents thought it was enough."

"My parents would have gone nuts if we had the one remote and they heard us bitching constantly."

"I remember when I was in the first grade, I got sick and was out of school for three days. It was so great, I played Super Nintendo all day while my sisters were in school. It was so peaceful playing without them asking to play and getting on my nerves."

"What were you playing?"

"Donkey Kong III." Alina laughed. "God, that was the worst one in the series and I just kept playing. The first boss was so aggravating."

"Was he the giant barrel that you had to feed bugs? If you missed he kept closing in on you, but if you got in he would keep backing up until he fell off the edge?"

"Yes!" Alina exclaimed. "When I first got the game he irritated me to no end."

He couldn't help but smile at the way her eyes lit up. This was the girl that he had started developing feelings for. The girl that got excited over dorky things and would laugh anytime a joke was cracked.

"He wasn't that hard to beat, Lina." Drew laughed. "Your aim must have sucked."

Alina scoffed, as if offended. "You were perfect, huh? A video game God sent down to help mere mortals complete difficult tasks?

"A video game God never reveals his secrets."

"I don't know when, but one day I will prove to you I can kick your butt in video games." Alina laughed. "You won't be able to keep up with me."

"Oh really?"

"Really. My Super Nintendo is still hooked up. What time works for you?"

Drew laughed. "I need to take a look at my calendar."

"Someone is scared."

The waiter approached the table, leaving the bill with Drew to be taken care of whenever they were ready. After Drew paid, they left the restaurant, their laughter trailing behind them.

"Do you want to take a walk before we head back?" He asked, when they stepped outside.

"That sounds nice." Alina agreed.

He took her hand in his, intertwining his fingers with hers. He gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze as they started walking down the street. The street was quiet, the stars were shining brightly above them and there was a gentle breeze.

"Want to play a game?" He asked.

Drew looked at her just in time to see her trying to manage her hair. The breeze was blowing at it here and there, getting in her face. She raked her fingers through her hair in an effort to keep it out of her face.

"You okay, there, Lina?"

"Long hair problems." She responded, pushing her hair back again. "I'm fine. What's the game you want to play?"

"Twenty questions."

Alina looked up at him, unable to hide her amusement. "All right, sounds good. First question is yours since you thought of it."

"How many sisters do you have?"

"I have two, both older."

"Your turn."

"What sports did you play in high school?"

"I dabbled in a lot of things actually. I did amateur wrestling. Some basketball and baseball too. I played soccer for a while." He answered. "I always loved being active and busy. It made the day go by faster."

"Fair enough."

"What about you?"

"I did gymnastics and cheerleading." Alina smiled. "My personality was not fit to the model of what a cheerleader is. I hated smiling and having to be peppy during games. There were a lot of times I just wanted to throw my pom poms into the field and tell everyone to fuck off."

"You were a cheerleader?" He asked, disbelievingly. "How did that happen?"

"My mom was a cheerleader when she was in high school and was obsessed with the idea of her kids being cheerleaders, too. You know, keep the tradition going? My sisters loved it. Me on the other hand? I would have preferred not do it. I always like dplaying baseball, hockey, and soccer. I always liked more physical sports. Not to say cheerleading isn't physical, but I'd rather do something other than singing in synchronization and doing pyramids."

"I should have been there with my 'No Fly Zone' sign." Drew laughed.

"If only you were. You could have saved me from dislocated shoulders and my butt being bruised." Alina sighed. "Some of the spotters sucked at you know, spotting."

Drew laughed. "I wouldn't have let you fall."

"You're a smooth one, Drew." Alina giggled.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No." She shook her head. "Let's see, you asked me three questions, so I get to ask you three."

"Shoot."

"What's your favorite movie?"

"I'm going to go with _Star Wars_. The original movies though, not the prequels that came out when we were kids."

"I've never had any interest in the series." Alina admitted. "I remember back in the good old days of Blockbuster, my cousins rented _The Phantom Menace_. I tried watching it, but I couldn't. It was just so boring and put me off from the series all together. Which is sad, because all the commercials and stuff got me hyped up. I remember my mom bought me a book based off the movie from SAMS Club. It had some princess or something on the front cover and Jar Jar Binks on the back cover. The movie was so boring that I don't think any of us finished watching it.

"What?!" Drew asked, astounded. "You've never seen any of the other movies? _Episode I_ was a bad place to start."

"Drew, I was only nine or ten. Give me a break." She laughed.

"Time the game out for a minute." Drew said, as they came to a stop in front of an ice cream shop. "Do you want to get some ice cream?"

She glanced at the shop in front of them, then back at Drew, shrugging. "Yeah, if you want some."

"Yes. Yes, I do." He laughed.

They entered the shop, a little bell ringing as the door opened, signaling their arrival. Drew still held her hand as they walked up to the counter, eying the different flavors of ice cream.

"What do you want, Lina?" He asked.

"Mmm, I think I want..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the ice cream in front of her. "I'll have the salted caramel."

"Good choice." He laughed. "I'm going to go with rocky road."

"That sounds good." She pouted. "I don't know what I want now."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You can have some of mine."

After getting their orders, they sat outside on the patio. They sat across from each other, both of them trying not to smile like complete idiots.

"You and I are going to watch Star Wars." Drew declared. "You can't be in my presence without ever watching Star Wars and saying you don't like it."

"I'll make a deal with you. We'll watch the first movie. If I don't like it, we don't go on with the series. If I do like it, we'll watch the rest of the originals."

Drew took a bite of his ice cream, nodding. "Fair enough."

Alina picked up a napkin from the table and leaned over to wipe some some ice cream from the corner of his lip. "You're worse than a kid."

"Am not."

"Sure, you're not." Alina balled up the napkin and dropped it on the table. "Are you excited for Summerslam?"

"I'm stoked for it." He leaned over and dipped his spoon into her ice cream. "Not only is it my first title match for the WWE, but it's going to be the first time the cruiserweights are featured on pay-per-view in months. Not a lot of people watch 205 Live, so they're missing what we can do. I'm hoping that this will help pull more fans in."

"I hope so, too." Alina agreed. "You guys don't get enough credit for what you do and it just hurts my heart."

Alina leaned over to dip her spoon into his ice cream.

"Let me make our lives easier." Drew got up and pushed his chair around the table so that he was sitting by her. "Easy to steal ice cream from each other now."

"Very much appreciated."

"Do you know what your plans are for Summerslam yet?"

"Nope." She took another bite of his ice cream. "Charlotte won the triple threat match to advance to Summerslam to face Carmella and Becky. I may be sitting this one out on the sidelines, cheering my favorites on."

"You'll get your chance again."

"Yeah, maybe." Alina shrugged. She put her empty ice cream cup down. "Until then, I'll just keep working and improving."

They tossed out their empty ice cream cups and left. He took her hand in his again, secretly loving the feelings she was giving him. She looked beautiful tonight, he couldn't stop looking at her. He couldn't stop smiling at her, whether she was looking at him or not.

Alina looked at Drew, in awe of how sweet he was. She didn't think it was possible for someone to be this charming, sweet, and dorky. He wasn't at all what she was expecting.

"It's getting late." He said. "Let's start heading back."

* * *

They walked into the hotel lobby, once again hand in hand. They were unable to control their laughter over a stupid joke Drew had told.

"You're such a nerd." Alina laughed. "It's so refreshing from what I normally date."

"What." He laughed as they stepped into the elevator. "Not who you used to date, rather what."

"They were a different species. I doubt they were human." She shrugged. "My taste in men isn't the greatest."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You've upgraded."

"Yeah." She looked up at him. "I did."

As their date had progressed, Alina could see herself with him. From their shared interests to his little caresses. Even the way he slipped up and called her 'Lina' made her heart skip a beat. His every smile was contagious. She couldn't believe how much her attitude changed from the beginning of the night.

"Back to the game." He whispered, looking down at her. "Have I told you how beautiful you are tonight?"

She shook her head.

"You're very beautiful tonight." Drew told her. "Everything about you is beautiful."

The doors opened on her floor. They stepped out and started walking down the hall towards her hotel room.

"Thank you."

She couldn't make eye contact because of how much she was blushing. When they stopped in front of her door, he chucked her under the chin, tilting her head up to look at him.

"You really are." He whispered. "Last question."

"I'm all ears."

"I hate that this night is ending. I don't want to leave you." Drew admitted. "I meant it earlier when I said I like you and I'd like to see where we can go from here. Would you go out with me again?"

"Yes." She whispered. "I will. Tell me when and where."

"Tomorrow night. We can start that marathon."

"Mmm, I'd like that very much."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, gently kissing her good night. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Mhmm." She replied, unable to stop her smile. "Tomorrow."

Drew pulled away from her, allowing Alina to turn around and open her door. She glanced back at him, smiling again. She turned back around and closed the door. Alina turned to look through the peep hole, watching Drew stand there for a second before walking off.

Turning away, she pressed her back against the door, feeling very happy. Call her crazy, but she may already be falling in love with him.

* * *

A/N: I might keep this running, showing their relationship in little one shots here and there.


	2. Kiss Me

Disclaimer: I only own Alina.

A/N: Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing! I hope you're liking this so far. Enjoy. Review.

* * *

With a plastic bag of snacks in one hand and _Star Wars_ in the other hand, Drew stepped out of the elevator and started walking to her room. He couldn't keep the smile off his face, he hadn't been able to all day. Ever since their first date last week, Drew found himself thinking about her as soon as he woke up. If they weren't together, they spent the bulk of the day talking through texts.

He reached her room, knocking on the door, unable to hide his excitement. He'd been looking forward to this date since they had made the plans the night before.

Alina answered the door with a smile. She hugged Drew, standing on her tip toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. She backed away, taking him by the wrist and leading him into her hotel room. Laughing, Drew closed the door behind them, allowing her to further walk him into the room.

"Hi." Drew greeted.

He placed the bag and the movie on top of the nearby dresser.

"Hi." She giggled. "I'm happy you're here."

Drew hugged her to him, placing a kiss on top of her head. He kept his arms around her, loving the feel of her body against his. This had been the happiest he had felt all day. He could finally hangout and relax with Alina. He had never been so happy to see a taping of _Smackdown_ and _20_ _5 Live_ come to an end.

"I am too." Drew smiled down at her. "I think this is the most I've seen you today. You were pretty busy at the _Smackdown_ taping."

"Yeah, very busy." Alina rolled her eyes. "I had a three minute match against Peyton Royce and then spent the rest of the night arguing a future story arc with Hunter."

"Still a busy night." Drew shrugged. "I'm here to take your mind off it."

"Best thing I've heard all night."

Drew let go of her and went to the dresser, emptying out the bag he had brought with him. He laid everything out. "I got us ice cream. Salted caramel for you." Drew smiled, handing it to her. "Mint for me. I also grabbed Doritos, Snickers, and M&M's."

"I'm gonna be hitting the gym hard tomorrow."

"I think you're going to be fine and need to stop being melodramatic." He teased. "I also grabbed plastic spoons."

Alina came up beside him, taking a spoon out of his hand while she eyed the movie. She picked it up, looking at the front and then turning it over to look at the back of the cover.

"We're really doing this, huh?"

"Yes, we are." He took the movie from her. "Sit down, make yourself comfortable and get ready. You're going to love this!"

Alina couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. It was a refreshing thing to see, something new for her. They had already bonded over their love of video games, so she was excited about possibly sharing this with him as well. She walked over to the bed and made herself comfortable, while Drew put the movie in.

He joined her a moment later, with his ice cream in one hand and remote control in the other. He sat down next to her, trying to fight back a smile when she scooted closer to him. The DVD menu flashed onto the screen and Drew hit play.

Alina put the lid on her ice cream and placed it on the nightstand. She put her spoon on top and then made herself comfortable again, this time resting her head on his chest while they watched. The sound of his heart beating was soothing, it put her at ease. Being this close to Drew made her feel safe.

"Sorry to be a pain, Lina, but can you put this on the end table for me?"

Sitting up, she took his ice cream from him and put it down next to hers. Again, she cuddled into his side, laying her head down on his chest. A contented sigh came from her when Drew wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His fingers gently brushing against her shoulder.

Her eyes drifted shut, a soft smile on her lips as she enjoyed the feel of his arm around her. The comfort of having Drew next to her made her heart race. Alina knew it was too soon, but she felt herself falling in love with him. She had felt like this even after their first date the week before. It was only a matter of time before she was head over heels for him, stumbling over her words like an idiot.

Drew was having a hard time paying attention to the movie. Being this close to her made him feel good, like everything was falling into place. He glanced down at her, smiling. The faintest smile was on her lips, her eyes closed. She looked angelic and sweet. He could get used to them like this; Alina snuggled into his side, her head on his chest, his arm wrapped around her.

"Are you asleep on me? We're getting to the best part!"

"No, no, I'm not asleep." Alina responded, her eyes still closed. "I'm listening to the movie. I just want to rest my eyes for a bit."

Alina had stopped paying attention to the movie a while ago. Paying attention had become difficult when she snuggled into his side. With each brush of his fingers against her arm, she felt another wave of joy course through her. Listening to his heartbeat had become so soothing she stopped caring about the movie.

"What's going on then?"

"Is there an exam I have to take after the movie? Powerpoint presentation, perhaps?" Alina teased.

"I'll take that as a no then." Drew shook his head. "Should I turn this off? We can always watch it another time."

"Mmm, I like that idea even better." She smiled, finally opening her eyes and looking up at him. "Either my place or yours, after I beat your butt in a game of Mario Kart, of course. But old school Mario Kart from like ninety-two."

Drew pulled his arm out from around her shoulders and nudged her head off his chest. He sat up on the bed, folding his legs and looking down at her, shaking his head and smirking.

"You don't even know what you're going up against."

Now Alina sat up, shifting so that she was facing him. She folded her legs too and locked her eyes with his.

"I'll have you know I'm undefeated in Mario Kart. All of us kids used to hold tournaments and I won every single time." Alina patted him on the knee. "I hope you don't take losing very hard."

"Your boasting will be your downfall." Drew teased. "That's ok though. I'll console you when I defeat the streak."

"I'll have the Kleenex ready for you to wipe away your tears." Alina shrugged. "Brace yourself."

"I should call Xavier and ask him if we can borrow his video game equipment. He might even film an impromptu episode of _Up, Up, Down, Down_."

Alina laughed. "You're in such a hurry for me to whip your butt you're going to drag Xavier into it?"

She scooted off the bed and padded across the room to grab the bag of Doritos. She opened the bag and stuck her hand inside, grabbing a handful. Leaning against the dresser, she popped a chip in her mouth, munching away, her eyes on Drew.

"What are you looking at?"

Popping another Dorito into her mouth, she just shrugged. Sounds from the TV lured her attention to the movie. One glance and she didn't have the slightest idea what was going on. Shifting her focus away from the TV, she looked back in time to see Drew getting off the bed. His hair was tussled from laying back for so long. Alina couldn't help but look at him in awe, her excitement building up inside of her.

"What are _you_ looking at?" Alina now asked.

With his hands stuffed in his pockets, Drew just shrugged. He stopped in front of her, nearly pinning her against the dresser. He rested his hands on her hips. He bent his knees, lowering himself some to be at eye level with her.

"I see a girl in front of me. She has the most beautiful smile in the world. Her laughter is music to my ears. Whenever I see her or talk to her, my mind tends to runaway from me." He whispered. "This is only our second date and she's already putting up with my nerdiness. Actually, she's a nerd in her own right and it only endears her to me."

"This girl sounds like a keeper."

Alina looked away from him, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. His eyes were burning into her very soul, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. These were words any girl would love to hear and here was Drew, standing in front of her, saying them to her.

Drew tilted her head up so they could look into each other's eyes. Brown eyes met with brown eyes, the slightest bit of anxiety reflected in Alina's eyes. Her lips were parted ready to say something, but no words came. They clamped together, her chin gently quivering against his fingers.

"She is." Drew admitted. "We had our first date last week. Even though we knew each other a bit before that date, we made a quick connection. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since."

His heart melted when a smile stretched her lips from ear to ear.

"It sounds like she's lucky to have you."

"Even with her hands covered in Dorito dust she's still beautiful to me." Drew smiled briefly. He let go of her hips and took a step back, shaking his head. "Her only flaw so far seems to be she doesn't like _Star Wars_."

Smirking, Alina shook her head from side to side. She had a feeling that _Star Wars_ was going to be mentioned a lot. While most probably would have found it annoying, Alina found it to be very sweet.

"I don't think she can focus when she has the sweetest guy to ever walk the earth by her side."

Her words hung in the air between them. Drew heard the distinct sound of light sabers. He kept his eyes on Alina and took another step towards her. His hands found her hips again, pulling her close and leaving very little space between them.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Alina couldn't stop staring at him. His brown eyes burned into hers, his lips turned up into a faint smile. She couldn't believe they were here, that this was their second date. She never thought they would hit it off in a romantic sense. Even if this was their second date, she couldn't help but notice things she hadn't seen before. His nose was a little crooked. It was sweet, charming even. This was a man that had experienced a lot in a wrestling ring and was still able to stay humble. While the crookedness may have had a dangerous element to it, on him it was cute. It suited him.

Drew brought his arms around her waist, holding her closer to him. Her arms wrapped around him. He felt her press the side of her head against his chest. Being in this embrace with her made him feel good. He knew that being here with her felt right.

Alina pulled back and tilted her head to look up at him. The movie and snacks were long forgotten about. All that mattered was them at that exact moment. Drew unwrapped an arm from around her waist. He brought it up between them, gently brushing back a strand of her hair. He cupped the side of her face, another faint smile on his lips. She felt warm underneath his touch. Her cheeks were flushed with color, her eyes now wandering away from his.

"You're so cute." He whispered.

When she looked into his eyes once again, his expression was intense, almost threatening. She could feel his need for her radiating from his fingertips. The hand on her hip pressed harder into her flesh, while his other hand gently brushed along her cheek.

They stayed like that for so long, staring at each other wordlessly. The moment was there and yet they both stood there, trying to read what the other might do. She unwrapped her arms from around his waist and brought them around his neck. Alina gently pushed down against his neck, trying push him along.

That was all it took. Drew covered her mouth with his in a hungry kiss. She responded to the kiss immediately, surprising herself. His mouth was warm, the caress of his lips against hers feeling a lot better than she had imagined. Drew tasted tentatively with his tongue, obsessed with the taste of her already.

Her arms fell from around his neck. Her hands drifted down until they rested on his chest. Her fingers twisted the material of his tee when the kiss deepened. She melted into him, sighing contentedly.

They broke apart for air. Drew let go of her and stood back as he ran a hand through his hair. His shoulders rose and fell heavily with each breath he took. Every vein was on fire, his heart was thumping harder than it ever had.

The tension between them was getting thick. They stared at each other for a moment before Alina threw herself into his arms. Drew lifted her with ease, her legs wrapping around his waist and her hands cupping the sides of his face. She brought her lips to his again while Drew walked them over to the bed.

Without breaking apart, Drew lowered her onto the bed. He crawled in between her legs. One hand held onto her hip, while the other traveled the side of her body. Up and down that hand went, sending more shivers up her spine. Their tongues tangled together, relishing in the taste of each other.

Her hands lowered down his chest and slowly crept underneath his shirt. She smiled against the kiss when she felt him shiver underneath her touch.

"Lina." He groaned into the kiss.

The kiss was broken again. Smirking up at Drew, Alina brought her hands from underneath his shirt. She played with the hem for a moment before pulling it up over his back. It was off in seconds and finding a new home on the floor.

"Is this what we're doing?" He breathed out.

Drew's eyes slipped shut when her hands ran down his bare chest. He let out a ragged breath while her fingers gently raked his skin. He shivered as her fingers continued to brush against his skin. Drew was breathing harder, each one getting shorter the longer she touched him.

Her teeth were sinking into her lower lip, almost painful. Her heart was racing, her body was trembling with anticipation. Her face was flushed from their body heat. Every fiber of her being wanted this to go further, but she had to resist. Her lower lip snapped out from underneath her teeth. Inhaling, she released a shaky breath. She kept one hand on his chest, while the other drifted up towards his shoulder and around the back of his neck, gently bringing his face down to hers.

Drew opened his eyes, instantly greeted by hers. Her lips were in a pout, her eyes burning with passion he hadn't seen in anybody before. He covered her mouth with his again, deepening the kiss right away. Their heads tilted in opposite directions, their tongues tangled together, their noses gently bumping together. She moaned into the kiss, he poured as much of himself into the kiss as he could. He couldn't get enough of her.

Balancing himself on one hand, Drew lowered the other to the hem of shirt. Her hands met with his, each of them fumbling to get the material off her.

"Lina, I'm back! How was your da-"

Carmella stopped dead in her tracks, her expression going from normal to shocked. They pulled apart, both of them looking at her, embarrassed by her intrusion. Yet, neither of them moved. Drew was still on top of Alina, shirtless, his face getting redder by the second. His hand and both of Alina's hands were still on her shirt that was halfway up her torso. Her expression mirrored Drew's to a T. There they were, hair tussled, chests heaving, just staring back at her with wide eyes.

"Shit. I'm sorry!" Carmella apologized. She pointed back towards the door. "I'll just go. Pretend I was never here. I'll go hang out with Naomi. Hell, I'll room with her tonight."

She turned on her heels and left the room, the door slamming behind her in her excitement to leave them alone. Drew and Alina looked at each other for a moment, then suddenly realized what had just happened and what could have happened. Drew sat up straight, moving from in between her legs. He got off the bed and leaned down to get his shirt off the floor. With the shirt in his hand, he stared at Alina, watching her sit up on her knees on the bed. The mattress springs gently squeaked underneath her as she moved.

"I better g-g-get going." Drew stammered, running a hand through his hair. He glanced the TV. "The movie is almost done."

It took him three tries to get his shirt back on. The first time, he almost got his head stuck in one of the sleeves. The second time, he put an arm through the head opening. Finally, the third time, he was successful in getting his shirt on. He looked back at Alina who sat silent. Her fingers brushing against her lips, as if in disbelief.

"We're putting a chair underneath the doorknob next time." Drew joked. He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. "I don't want to leave."

"Then don't."

"I'd love to stay, but then I'd be ruining in my good boy reputation you seem to like." He joked again. "Go out with me tomorrow?"

Alina nodded. She got off the bed and walked Drew to the door. Just before he left, he took her in his arms and kissed her again. They broke apart, each disappointed by the night ending so quickly.

"Until tomorrow, Lina."

He let himself out and Lina stepped out into the hallway. They kept their eyes on each other until he got into the elevator. When he was in and the doors dinged, she went back inside, still feeling his lips on hers.

* * *

A/N: They're so stinking cute already.


	3. Hold Me Close

Disclaimer: I only own Alina. I **do not** own the song that Drew sings to her later.

A/N: Thank to everyone who has read and reviewed! I really appreciate it! Enjoy. Review.

* * *

"You really aren't going to tell me what happened?"

"Mella, I told you what happened," Alina said as they left the makeup area. "We only made out."

"That was it?" She asked, unable to keep the doubt out of her voice. "He was on top of you, shirtless! Your shirt was almost off!"

"Please, Mella, louder! I don't think the ring crew heard you." Alina walked ahead of her friend. "I told you it was nothing super serious. Drop it already."

Carmella moved at a brisk pace to catch up with Alina. "How can you say it was nothing? It was only the second date. He already got you in bed!"

Alina came to a sudden stop. "He didn't get me in bed. It's Drew Gulak! He's not that kind of guy."

"No?" Carmella asked. "Had I not walked in would you have stopped?"

Alina chewed on her lower lip, her gaze avoiding Carmella. A big part of her knew that they probably wouldn't have stopped. She didn't want to stop, it'd be a lie if she said otherwise.

"Yes, we would have."

"Ah, you hesitated!" Carmella exclaimed, holding up her right index finger. "You wouldn't have stopped!"

"Don't you have a championship match to get ready for?" Alina asked, pushing Carmella's hand down.

"I do," Carmella said, shrugging. "This is more interesting. I didn't think you guys would hit it off like this when I set you up."

She ran a hand through her hair and then started heading towards the locker room again. Carmella followed her, dropping the subject for the moment.

"Do you have any plans for the show?"

"Nope. No match, no segment. I'm just going to watch from back here," Alina shrugged. "I'm going to sneak into the arena to see Drew's match."

"Yeah?"

"Cruiserweight Championship match," Alina smiled with a shrug. "It's kind of a big deal right now."

Carmella couldn't help but smile back. She hadn't seen Alina smile so much in a long time. It was a refreshing sight to see.

"It's an even bigger deal because you looooove him," Carmella teased. "You have never snuck out into the arena to watch anybody's matches. Not even Dean's matches when you were together."

Alina rolled her eyes. "Dean and I were a disaster in the making."

"Doesn't change the fact that you guys were a thing." Carmella countered with.

"Stop being messy," Alina muttered, waving her off. "I'm going to find Drew. Good luck in your match tonight!"

"I'll see you later!"

"Don't tell the girls what happened!" Alina shouted back, looking at Carmella as she walked off. "I don't need it spread around the locker room!"

Alina turned into an empty hall and leaned against the wall. She pulled her phone out and sent Drew a quick text. While waiting for his response, she scrolled through Instagram, a tinge envious of some of the Summerslam posts the girls put up. They were excited about their matches, doing their damnedest to get their fans pumped up and here she was, lingering around the backstage area, twiddling her thumbs.

She exited out of the app when she got the notification that Drew had responded to her. She opened the message and smiled, walking to the gorilla position as she sent a message letting him know she was coming.

Drew turned around in time to see Alina approaching him. He couldn't help but smile in her direction. She looked beautiful. Her hair was down, cascading over her shoulders, the waves in her hair bouncing as she got closer to him. Her makeup was radiant, but her nude glossy lips were turned down into a frown. Drew's smile faded and he started towards her.

"Hey, beautiful," he greeted as he hugged her. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she responded, breaking the hug. "Are you ready for your match?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he smiled. "Meet me here after my match. I'll get ready and then we can ditch this place."

"Drew, I..."

He put a finger to her lips to quiet her. "I'm not taking no for an answer." He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you here after my match."

Drew's music started. He smiled at her again and then hurried through the curtain.

"He's an excited boy scout, isn't he?"

Alina turned her head to see Cedric standing next to her, his championship belt around his waist. She smiled at him, only shrugging her shoulders.

"Only one I've known." She laughed. "Kill 'em out there."

She left Cedric and walked around the set, sneaking out to watch their match. She was excited to see what these two men were going to show the crowd.

After the bell rang to signify the end of the match, Alina backed out of the arena and hurried back to the gorilla position. She came to a stop when she saw Dean standing by the table of monitors talking to Seth. His attention was immediately pulled away from Seth and focused on her, a small smile on his lips.

"Hey, Lina." He greeted.

"Hi." She greeted back, trying to will the awkwardness away.

"What brings you here?"

At that moment, Drew stepped through the curtains a sweaty mess. He smiled when he saw her and made a beeline for her.

"Never mind," Dean smirked. "I see. Nice seeing you, Lina. I'll see you around."

Drew looked from Alina to Dean, confused by their interaction. She took Drew by the hand and led him out of the gorilla position, anxious to put as much space between her and Dean as she possibly could.

"What was that all about?" Drew asked when they were a good distance away.

She stopped and looked towards where they had just come from, listening to the fans scream for Dean and Seth at the top of their lungs. She looked back at Drew and smiled weakly at him, quickly changing the subject.

"You did great out there!"

Drew turned her around to face him, his hands quickly taking hold of her shoulders. "Don't change the subject. What was that all about?"

"Drew, it's nothing." She looked down at their feet, unable to look him in the eye. "There's not much to the story."

"I was worried about you before my match and I'm even more worried now." Drew chucked her under her chin so she would look at him. "I'm going to get changed and then we can go. Go get your stuff."

"We can't leave until after the show."

"Do you really think anyone is going to notice that we left?"

They were in for a long night.

* * *

Summerslam was in full swing by the time Drew and Alina snuck out. Wrestlers were hyping up the show on social media or just lounging around backstage. They hopped into Drew's rental and raced out of the parking lot, going straight to the nearest coffee shop.

Drew couldn't wait for them to be alone. So many things had been on his mind _before_ his match. Seeing Dean talking to Alina had left him confused and jealous. He knew Dean from their CZW days when he still wrestled under the name Jon Moxley. He was aware of the kind of shenanigans Dean had gotten into. Knowing that Alina had some connection to him was enough to make him worry.

"You've been quiet since we left the arena." Alina broke the silence. "Is there something on your mind?"

He glanced at her before focusing on the road again. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. He had no reason to be upset or jealous. Alina wasn't his girlfriend, they weren't exclusive. Even if they were, what Alina did before they started seeing each other shouldn't be too much of a concern.

"Um, I couldn't help but notice that you and Dean were talking."

Alina snorted. "I would hardly call that a conversation."

"What would you call it then?"

"An awkward moment."

Drew parked the car and they got out, walking into the coffee shop in silence. After they received their orders, they left and decided to head back to the hotel, this time opting to go to Drew's room.

"Are you going to elaborate? Describing what happened at the arena as an awkward moment doesn't really tell me much about you and Dean."

"What happened at the arena was an awkward moment." She corrected him. "What happened between Dean and me before tonight was a disaster."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a sip of his coffee, looking at Lina over his cup.

"You're the first guy that I've had any emotional connection to in the last _two years,"_ Alina admitted. She put her coffee down on the dresser and sat down next to Drew, sighing as she did so. A shaky hand ran through her hair before she continued. "Dean and I were together for two very long years, with very many ups and downs."

"Do you know about his past?"

"I've heard everything, I know everything. By the time we started seeing each other, he was a changed person. It was amazing to see how much he had calmed down compared to the stuff I've heard and seen. Dean Ambrose and Jon Moxley are two entirely different people, two different personalities. I guess he let some of the Moxley character take over him. Dean was always a wild guy and I guess that's what attracted me to him."

"How did you guys meet?"

"At NXT actually. I was signed sometime after he was. Though, before I was put on NXT programming, WWE was training me at their facilities with their trainers so I can learn their brand of entertainment. He was lingering, waiting for the day he was going to be called up since NXT wasn't using him very much," Lina continued her story. "Some of his Jon Moxley persona had trickled into WWE with him, but he managed to keep that wild streak at bay."

"How did you end up in a relationship for two years?"

"During our time training we got to know each other. We were friends first. A couple of months after I was signed, he was called up to the main roster. We talked on the rare occasions we saw each other between his call up and mine. While he was making it big with The Shield, I was working my way up the ranks of the NXT women's division. We actually won our first championships around the same time. He won the United States title and I won the NXT Women's title."

"Lina, you're rambling."

"Sorry," she laughed. "I was called up to the roster just before The Shield broke up. Dean was actually the first person I saw when I walked into the arena on my debut and we just reconnected. We stayed friends until a couple of years later when he pulled me aside and told me how he felt about me. Because of his prior history with women and the party scene, I was hesitant to go on a date with him. Eventually, he won me over and I agreed to that date with him. That one date turned into two, three, four, five, until we became exclusive. Everything was great in the beginning."

"What changed?"

"Our schedules started to differ, we were both frustrated with the way WWE was booking us." Alina stretched her arm out to grab her coffee. She drank some and then looked over at Drew to see how he was handling everything. He wasn't happy. "Those frustrations trickled into our relationship. We fought a lot and then the fighting stopped when he won the WWE Championship. He was on top of the world again. He had everything again and I had my boyfriend back. The goofy, laid back guy that I had fallen in love with was back. That was enough to make me forget my frustrations and focus on us again and even on trying to get my main roster career on track."

"Lina, you're killing me here."

"This is all part of the story." Lina huffed. "I was starting to get pushed and Dean lost his championship. He stagnated after that loss while I was thriving. That's when we started fighting again. Yet, neither of us made the move to end the relationship. I loved him and he loved me. We fought hard to make it work, determined not to let wrestling be the very thing to rip us apart. But no matter how much we fought to stay together, a little indiscretion here and there would pop up. I'd learn about it and he would deny it until he was blue in the face. I knew he was lying, so I left. There was a time where I didn't talk to him for a week."

"What made you go back to him?"

"I loved him. Sometimes when you love someone as much as I loved him you would do anything to make the relationship work. That's just what we did. But the paranoia was always there after that. I was always worried he would cheat and his own ways got the best of him and he thought I was cheating. We weren't very healthy from the middle to the end of the relationship."

"When did you break up?"

"At the beginning of this year," Alina whispered. "I was with him when he first got injured. I was there when he had his surgery and physical therapy. I had my schedule made around his PT so that I could be at home with him."

"How were things during that time?"

"Not very good. As much effort as I put into being there for him, it wasn't enough. It didn't take very long for the tension between us to build up. Finally, in February of this year, things came to a head and we broke up. I moved out of our house together and moved back to Florida."

"When did you two decide to move in with each other?"

"A year after we started dating. Probably not the best decision, but our relationship moved quicker than any others I have had. There was so much emotion and passion between us. It's why I really think we lasted as long as we did."

"That's why he tried to talk to you tonight."

"It's the first time I've seen and spoken to Dean since we broke up."

"No kidding?"

"I had no reason to see or speak to him. I was mad about our relationship and all of the negative elements that were brought into it. We tried hard, but not hard enough. I was mad about those other women and the way he would talk to me sometimes. I was in no rush to speak to him."

"And now?"

"Seven months have gone by. I'm over what happened between us. He had his faults, but I also had mine. Our relationship imploding isn't only his fault. I wasn't exactly a saint either. When he stepped out, so did I. When he spit out harsh things at me, I bit back just as hard. Drew, I'm not going to lie, there is always going to be a part of me that's going to love him. We went through so much together. Dean may not realize it, but he gave me so much and taught me so much during our time together, be it negative or positive, that has made me as strong as I am right now. But, he'll never have a place in my life like he once had. My life with Dean is very much over and in the past."

Drew let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. That was a lot of information to take in. He didn't know what was worse; his loss or Lina's relationship with Dean.

"Wow."

"I know, it's a lot." Alina flashed him a weak smile. "I know we haven't had very many dates and are just getting our toes wet right now, but I really do like you, Drew. I'm not that person I was when I was with Dean."

"I know." Drew smiled, taking his hand in hers. "I don't think you have a single bad bone in your body. I really like you too, Lina. What's in the past is in the past. We're different from the people we were one, two, or five years ago, you know? A past with Dean Ambrose isn't enough to scare me off."

"You're a bad liar."

"Me? A bad liar?" Drew asked. "Lying isn't exactly something I want to perfect."

"Drew, it's fine if my past with Dean bothers you. Really, it is okay." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Please, don't lie to me and treat me like an idiot. I know Dean has been on your mind since we crossed paths with him at the arena. I know it bothers you. Or it did until I told you everything."

Drew got off the bed and squatted in front of her. He took both of her hands in his, their eyes locked on each other. "I care a lot about you, nothing is going to change that. Don't ever for one second think that I would never want to see you over such a ridiculous thing."

She untangled one of her hands from his and brought it to the side of his face. "I don't want to talk about Dean Ambrose anymore. I've said enough about him for the night. I want to talk about us-about your match tonight. I don't care to think about him anymore. I haven't in a long time."

He got up and then helped Alina up to her feet, his arms instantly wrapping around her waist. "I meant what I said about liking you and caring about you, Lina. That will never change. I won't lie to you, it does bother me that you and Dean were a thing."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not with him, I'm with you. I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too." He whispered.

He kept his arms around her as they started to sway back and forth, moving to music that only existed in their minds. Drew looked down into her eyes, seeing something he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Please, lets neither one of us mention Dean Ambrose again." She whispered. "Let us see where things go between us. I only care about you and me."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. "Only me and you."

Silence fell between them as they continued to lightly sway back and forth. His arms tightened around her waist and she laid her head on his chest. He smiled down at her, loving the feeling of her against him.

"We need music," Alina giggled.

Drew looked around to see his phone on the bed. He looked down at her and shook his head. The last thing he wanted to do was let her go. He wanted to stay in this moment forever. Just the two of them, alone and in each other's arms.

"I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy. I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need." Drew sang. "I love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do I will be strong, I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning. A reason for living. A deeper meaning..."

She picked her head up off his chest and looked up at him, softly giggling. "You're a terrible singer."

"Thanks, Lina." He shook his head.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

They swayed back and forth, Drew smiling and singing to her. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, hoping they'd have many more nights like this.

* * *

A/N: Ughhh they're just too sweet.


End file.
